2023-2024 Leadership Dates
Welcome Reception
Thursday, October 5, 2023 (5:00PM-6:30PM)
Odessa Chamber of Commerce
Retreat: Prude Ranch in Ft. Davis, TX
Saturday October 7 & Sunday October 8, 2023
Session 1: Government & Public Safety
Thursday, October 19, 2023 (8:00 – 5:00)
Session 2: History & Culture
Thursday, November 16, 2023 (8:00 – 5:00)
Session 3: Business & Industry
Thursday, December 14, 2023 (8:00 – 5:00)
Session 4: Medical Services
Thursday, January 18, 2024 (8:00 – 5:00)
Session 5: Media & Education
Thursday, February 15, 2024 (8:00 – 5:00)
Session 6: John Maxwell
March 2024 Date TBD (8:00-5:00)
Session 7: Social Services
Thursday, April 18, 2024 (8:00 – 5:00)
Session 8: Roundup & Graduation
Thursday, May 16, 2023 (8:00AM-12:00PM)
Odessa Chamber of Commerce
Thursday, May 16, 2023 (6:30PM)
Odessa Country Club
*Times may vary according to agendas*
Leadership Odessa always starts the day and ends the day at the Odessa Chamber of Commerce, 700 N. Grant, Suite 200 in the Bank of America Building.
Leadership Odessa is formed on a first-come, first-serve basis. For more information, contact Carla Hartwig at 432-333-7854 or email her at carlah@odessachamber.com.
Leadership Odessa is a program of the Odessa Chamber of Commerce that attracts a diverse group of businessmen and women. Each class is comprised of 40+ participants from a variety of sectors, including education, medical, small business, banking, industry, hospitality, and nonprofit.
The Leadership Odessa program is open to anyone who currently lives or works in Odessa, and whose organization is a Chamber Member. If you are new to Odessa, it’s the quickest way to get plugged into the community. If you’re familiar with Odessa, take this program to find out all the things you’ve been missing!
Who runs Leadership Odessa?
Although overseen by the Odessa Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Odessa is essentially a participant-run program. The previous year’s graduates put their new leadership skills to work immediately, organizing into committees and facilitating the incoming class’s activities. This passing of the leadership torch has been working beautifully since the program’s founding in 1978.
What kind of commitment would I be making?
In order to graduate, participants must attend seven of the nine day-long sessions.
As explained above, each graduating class is responsible for facilitating the incoming class’s year of activities. Additionally, several Leadership Odessa graduates are peer-nominated to oversee the coming year’s one-month Junior Leadership program for high school juniors.
Many lifelong friendships (and even a few marriages) have resulted from Leadership Odessa.
2023-2024 Leadership Odessa Class
Co-Chairs
Trace Notley
Nicole Pool
Gabriela Aranda, Higginbotham Insurance
Zachary Bischler, Whitley Penn
Curtis Byers, Sparklight
Bree'Ana Cargal, SouthWest Bank
Salomon Chavira, Harmony Public School
Melissa Cooper, Ector County ISD
Aaron Cox, Allbright & Duncan Insurance
Adina Crain, Medical Center Health System
Steve Davis, Ector County
Garret Davis, Medical Center Health System
Sarah Dixon, Sarah Dixion Estate Group at Keller Williams Realty
Rikki Earnest, Ector County District Attorney's Office
Giovanni Espino, Frost Bank
Wayne Finger, Saulsbury Industries
Ben Ford, Grace Christian Fellowship
Cinda Garcia, Meals on Wheels
Sydney Gore, Wagner Noel Performing Arts Center
Makenzie Griess, Odessa Marriott Hotel & Conference Center
Rebecca Griffith, Yoakum National Bank
Kathleen Halford, STEM Academy at UTPB
Tyler Henry, Odessa Fire Rescue
Priscilla Hernandez, Ector County ISD
Sally Hernandez, Frost Bank
Tony Hughes, Ector County ISD
Terri Martinez, Ector County ISD
Ben Marts, Odessa Fire Rescue
Christina McKinney, Ector County Sheriff Office
Dana McWilliams, Ector County
Ricardo Medrano Jr, The Midessa Group
Blake Monk, Allbright & Duncan Insurance
Jeremy Moore, Odessa Fire Rescue
Alma Munoz, Ector County ISD
Magaly Nieto, Ector County ISD
Christopher Olivas, Standard Sales
Kacy Perez, First Basin Credit Union
Kris Phillips, Market Street
Becky Ramirez, Ector County ISD
Adrian Rubio, West Texas Credit Union
David Sanchez, City Bank
Jimena Sanchez, SouthWest Bank
Samantha Serrano, Medical Center Health System Foundation
Lindsey Simpkins, Odessa Chamber of Commerce
Katherine Sims, SouthWest Bank
Nidia Soriano, Boys and Girls Club Permian Basin
Edmy Sotelo, Safeguard Partners
Andrea Storm, Texas Tech Health Sciences Center
Denise Swanner, City Council Member
Carmen Tellez, Ector County District Attorney's Office
Sarai Torres, PrimeLending
Chris Tovar, The Midessa Group
Jennifer Valencia, Ector County ISD
Jess Walker, Standard Sales
Savannah Woodward, Young Professionals of Odessa
THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR SPONSORS
A HUGE thank you to our 2023-2024 Platinum Sponsors! This select group of pro-Odessa businesses sponsor every program and event all year long, gaining high awareness through signage and verbal name recognition from the podium. They also save by being a Platinum Sponsor instead of buying a table and tickets to each individual event. We couldn’t do it without their generous support!
Interested in becoming a Platinum Sponsor? Learn more here!